CATCHING WOODPIGEONS 



Considering the enormous flocks of Woodpigeons 

 which visit us in autumn, to the great annoyance of 

 farmers in many parts of the country, it is some- 

 what surprising that no systematic measures are 

 adopted to thin their numbers and utilise them as 

 food, especially as they are larger and of far finer 

 flavour than the ordinary dovecote pigeons. 

 Doubtless, a good many are shot by waiting and 

 watching for them as they come in to roost in the 

 plantations ; but not one tithe of them are killed 

 that might be procured in other ways, even when 

 decoys are put out to attract them. 



The question, " How to destroy Woodpigeons," 

 is often asked by those who, from the tone of their 

 inquiries, evidently look upon them with no 

 friendly feeling ; nay, obviously regard them as an 

 unmitigated nuisance. In connection with covert 

 shooting, some very useful hints are given by the 

 authors of the Badminton volumes on " Shooting " 

 on the subject of killing Woodpigeons, but these 

 are only in relation to shooting, and nothing is said 

 in regard to traps or nets. 



In The Field of December 8, 1883, will be 



found an account by an eye-witness of the mode in 



which these birds are netted in the Pyrenees. 



Briefly stated, this is effected by suspending nets at 



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